Nottingham Forest, who currently sit in third place, faced an unexpected loss to Fulham in their last match. They will be eager to recover as they travel to St James' Park to play against Newcastle on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Newcastle will also be seeking redemption after suffering a heavy 4-0 defeat against Manchester City last Saturday. This clash between two teams with aspirations for a top-four finish promises to be an exciting spectacle in Tyneside.
In such a scenario, the key players from each team are expected to step up, with Forest's influential striker standing out as a top choice for scoring goals.
Team news
Newcastle will continue to be without Jamaal Lascelles and Joelinton, who are not likely to return until the Magpies' Carabao Cup final against Liverpool next month at the earliest.
Sven Botman, who missed the previous match against City, will be assessed before Sunday's game.
Forest will be missing backup striker Taiwo Awoniyi and second-choice goalkeeper Carlos Miguel. Otherwise, manager Nuno Espirito Santo has a nearly full squad to pick from.
The stats
Newcastle has lost three of their last four Premier League matches, conceding 10 goals in those games.
Nottingham Forest emerged victorious with a 3-1 scoreline in the corresponding fixture last season, thanks to Chris Wood's hat-trick.
The star striker for Forest has scored 18 goals in 25 Premier League appearances this season.
After only one loss in their previous nine games, Forest has now lost two of their last three matches in the Premier League.
Newcastle has managed to keep just one clean sheet in their last six Premier League games.
Prediction
Newcastle might feel optimistic after their 3-1 win in the reverse fixture back in November. However, their poor performance against Manchester City raises doubts, making it hard to have confidence in them at shorter odds.
Forest is also unreliable, coming off a 2-1 defeat to Fulham. While a draw seems plausible given both teams' recent form, placing bets on a goal scorer could be a more profitable choice.
Alexander Isak is the frontrunner in the anytime scorer market, but backing Forest's striker could be a smarter move.
Chris Wood has been in great form this season, scoring 18 goals in 25 Premier League games. Facing a leaky Newcastle defense that has conceded 11 goals in four matches and might be missing Sven Botman, Wood appears to be a valuable option to cause trouble for his former club once again.
The New Zealand striker registered a hat-trick in this fixture last season and, with eight goals in his last seven Premier League appearances, Wood offers good value to make an impact.